Julian Alvarez Returns to Atletico Madrid Squad for La Liga Clash

Diego Simeone has confirmed that Julian Alvarez will be back in the Atletico Madrid squad for Sunday’s La Liga meeting with Villarreal, as the club braces for a hostile reception from its own fans.

The Argentina striker, who pushed to leave in the summer amid offers from Barcelona and Real Madrid, sat out Atletico’s opening win over Malaga while he worked back to fitness after his post-World Cup break. Now he returns to the matchday list, straight into the eye of the storm.

“Yes, he's going to be included in the squad list tomorrow and he's doing better,” Simeone told reporters on Saturday. “Obviously, he's still getting up to speed, like all his teammates.”

The tension around Alvarez has been building. Sections of the Atletico support turned on him during the Malaga game, unleashing insulting chants at a player they feel tried to force his way out.

Simeone understands the mood in the stands, but he drew a firm line when it comes to his dressing room.

“Obviously I don't share in any insults or slights. Let that be absolutely clear,” he said. “Julian is a hugely important player for achieving the goals we have as a team. We need him, we're going to look after him.

“That's from a sporting standpoint, and we're going to stand by him. Why? Because he's our player, and as long as there are players at Atletico Madrid who are mine, I'm going to look after them.”

For now, Atletico have shut the door on a sale. Barcelona and Real Madrid both tested that stance with bids in the summer, but the club refused to cash in, backing Simeone’s belief that Alvarez remains central to their ambitions.

On the other side of the transfer tug-of-war, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick kept his guard up. Pressed repeatedly on Saturday about whether the Spanish champions had abandoned their pursuit of Alvarez, he refused to be drawn, insisting he would not talk about players from other clubs.

So Alvarez returns, still short of full sharpness, walking into a stadium that might boo his every touch. Simeone has nailed his colours to the mast. On Sunday, the stands will show where they stand.